Congressional Elections
Jan 12, 2016
Congressional Elections
Incumbency Factor
Individuals who already hold office usually win reelection Especially in House (over 90%) Senate somewhat more competitive
States more diverse than districts More media coverage More visible challengers
2012: 90 percent of House members and 91 percent of senators For senators, this year’s re-election percentage was the highest
since 2004.
Incumbency factor in congressional elections
Advantages of Incumbency Advertising
Visibility with constituents Name recognition!
Credit Claiming Service to constituents
• Casework = helping individuals• Pork barrel = federal projects, grants, contracts
Position Taking Weak Opponents Campaign Spending
More important for challengers Incumbents still outspend them
Redistricting
Redrawing congressional districts, to show: Increases or decreases in seats allotted to the states Population shifts within a state.
Reapportionment is a new allotment Especially new distribution of US and state
congressional seats on the basis of census results Required for all legislative bodies after each census
• National, state, local• According to U.S. Constitution + state constitutions
Majority party controls redistricting
Gerrymandering
Redrawing legislative districts to assure maximum representation for a political party
Majority party in statehouse Named for MA Governor Elbridge Gerry
1811: helped to ensure the election of two Democratic senators by creating a new political district
The term and political cartoon = combination of salamander shape of the district + his name.
Supreme Court & Gerrymandering
1964: Wesberry v. Sanders Supreme Court outlawed
gerrymandering and established the “one man, one vote” principle.
Court also upheld Voting Rights Act of 1965:Interpreted to mean that
purposeful gerrymandering of a congressional district to dilute minority strength is illegal
Does gerrymandering still occur?
Questions to consider: Why would North Carolina
draw a district in this shape?
Which party do you think was in control of the North Carolina legislature in 1990?
Is this “packing” or “cracking”?
What are the consequences of “gerrymandering”?
North Carolina 12th District (1990)Eligible voters: 412,000
Black: 53.3%White: 46.7%
Read “Justices Affirm GOP Map For Texas” & answer in writing:
1. Why was there a lawsuit over the Texas redistricting plan?
2. What did the Supreme Court decide about the plan?
3. Explain “…the gift that the Supreme Court and Tom DeLay have given us.”
4. How did Texas Democrats try to block the GOP’s plan?
5. How did the redistricting affect Tom DeLay’s career?
6. What were the Supreme Court justices’ arguments for and against the redistricting plan?